Someone asked about eyes. Rather than try to explain with words, I decided to put up a step by step of my process. I'm sure there are other ways to go about this, but this is my method in 10 quick steps. Questions welcome.

Remember: Don't press too hard if you're using traditional media (pencils). Rather work VERY lightly at first and only go on to darken your lines when you are absolutely satisfied. You can always darken the lines as you go, but erasing isn't always easy, especially around smaller detail areas like eyes, noses and mouths.

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About The Author:
BarakiEl's favourite things to do include creating digital art, listening to music, playing computer games and spending time with her husband. She works from home as a freelance desktop publisher, colourist and illustrator.(Read more posts by BarakiEl)

12 Responses to “How to draw realistic eyes”

Thanks so much! I've started to use a 3H pencil so I can still press slightly harder and have thin light lines. Funny thing is, I just tryed to draw a slightly turned face this time and I almost nailed it! I'll see if I can upload my pictures someway, (most likely photobucket). Anyway thanks again for creating this tutorial based on my question!

Ah I know what you mean! But unfortunately men do have eye lashes, lol - it helps to keep the dust out If you find yourself in this dilemma I recommend changing the eye shape - make it more angular, add wrinkle lines at the outer corner of the eye (just 2 light laugh lines will help make the eye less "pwetty"), maybe add a line under the eye on the inner side (like Itachi in Naruto, men sometimes have something like that) and ultimately, give the guy a pronounced brow line and thick eye brows. All these combined should help make it look less girly. Otherwise you can just leave out the eye lashes, lol.

Thanks a lot for your tutorial it's very usefull for me ,however I'm trying to draw a profil face of a friend of me, who died few time ago, and I want to give it to his wife;Well, it is very hard for me to get a correct eye expresion smiling in the happyness withe his face turned to his wife and looking at her. Perhaps could you give me,shapes and thickness and shadows colors.Thanks.